From coast to coast, the Contingency Response Wing answers Sandy's call

Published Nov. 7, 2012
By Tech. Sgt. Parker Gyokeres
621st Contingency Response Wing

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- The mobility Airmen in the 621st Contingency Response Wing are no strangers to the chaos of a disaster area, nor the destruction of a flood; it is the siren song of their role as Air Mobility Command's 9-1-1 force.

But when Hurricane Sandy came to the New Jersey Shore Oct. 29, it brought that peril to their own homes. The specialized air mobility rapid-response unit was faced with the challenge of both helping others and preparing themselves.

The CRW is like no other wing in the Air Force, explained Col. Marty Chapin, 621st commander. It consists of small teams of highly trained Airmen who specialize in deploying to remote or disaster-stricken areas and establishing air mobility operating locations to accept cargo, process passengers, or operate air mobility planning cells. It provides its own security, communication, lodging and power and is able to operate without any additional resupply for up to five days. It has groups split evenly between Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in central New Jersey, and Travis Air Force Base, Calif.

"When it became clear Sandy would threaten our East Coast operations, our first priority was to ensure the continued readiness of our United States Transportation Command Joint Task Force - Port Opening alert team," explained Chapin. "The JTF-PO alert was currently held by the 818th Contingency Response Group here at JB-MDL. If they were unable to respond, it could have degraded the Air Force's ability to respond to the hurricane or other contingency requirements."

With forces on both coasts, CRW, 18th Air Force, Air Mobility Command and U.S. Transportation Command quickly worked together to create a plan that addressed both the safety and security of the CRW mission.

The majority of the CRW on the east coast needed to take shelter and prepare for the approaching storm. Meanwhile, the Travis AFB-based 571st Contingency Response Group quickly assumed the duties of the JTF-PO alert force that was unable to reposition itself.

With the majority of the JTF-PO alert now taken up by teams at Travis, a smaller Contingency Response Element of 65 Airmen with critical skills evacuated with some of the last C-17 Globemaster IIIs out of JB MDL.

They waited in Tampa, Fla. while their coworkers on the East Coast battened the hatches and prepared for the worst.

"We planned to return as soon as JB-MDL was able to launch us into the fight anywhere in the world," said Lt. Col Shawn Underwood, 818th CRE commander. "But as we watched live reports of flooded homes and neighborhoods on fire, we became keenly aware the next mission could very well be in New Jersey."

As reports of the destruction began coming in from areas as close as thirty miles from JB-MDL, it became obvious the CRW was the right unit, in the right place, at the very worst time for the people of New Jersey.

From both coasts, Airmen in the CRW switched gears and prepared to immediately deploy and assist with the relief efforts.

"The 570th Contingency Response Group had recently returned from a major exercise at Fort Polk, La.," explained Col. Darren Sprunk, 570th CRG commander. "Our Airmen teamed with our 615th Global Support Squadron members to work around the clock to inspect and repack a huge amount of equipment as returned from the field. Thanks to the tireless efforts of all involved, we were able to quickly stand up response teams to augment the nation's response."

It was clear there was work to be done, explained Chapin, the next question was where they would need to employ CRW expertise.

"At our core, what the CRW does best is move large amounts of critical cargo into or out of locations that may have the real estate, but don't have the capability or capacity to handle it," he said. "We are trained and equipped to establish a cargo reception, processing and loading facility on an established ramp anywhere in the world within hours of notification."

And the calls did come. Immediately after the passing of hurricane Sandy, two 621st teams from Travis AFB deployed as part of a National Power Generation Task Force to March AFB, Calif. and Phoenix, Ariz. Their mission was to load relief supplies and generators onto AMC aircraft for urgent flights to the east coast.

The Phoenix-based team plans to move to airfields in Texas and then Louisiana as the staged stock of generators in each location is exhausted.

Tanker and airlift planners from the 615th Air Mobility Operations Squadron at Travis AFB also deployed to support Northern Command planning operations at Peterson AFB, Colo.

A ten-man crew of aerial transportation specialists deployed with cargo handling equipment from the 817th CRG at JB MDL to JFK Airport in New York City. They are beefing-up cargo offloading operations at JFK in the face of a massive influx of relief supplies and emergency equipment.

"It is remarkable how the versatile, mobility Airmen of the CRW were ready to answer the call and move to multiple locations just hours after Sandy made landfall," said Chapin. "I am proud of every single member of the CRW family for all of their hard work and dedication. They truly represent the best the Air Force has to offer in a crisis like this."